The present invention relates generally to a magnetic tape cassette storage case. More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved magnetic tape cassette storage case especially adapted to receive and store therein an audio magnetic tape cassette.
A conventional Philips-type audio magnetic tape cassette includes a front opening portion adapted to receive a magnetic head therein when the cassette is inserted into a recording/reproducing unit for recording or reproduction. The magnetic tape in the cassette is made to run across the front opening portion.
With such construction, dust or similar foreign matter can enter the cassette through the front opening portion. Once the magnetic tape is contaminated by dust or the like adhering to the tape, signal dropout can occur, adversely affecting the recording or reproducing characteristics of the tape. Moreover, since the housing of the cassette is molded of a synthetic resin, it can readily be broken if dropped or if it receives an external impact such as when struck against an obstacle or the like.
To prevent the magnetic tape from being contaminated with dust or similar foreign matter, and moreover to protect the cassette from being breakage or the like, the cassette is normally stored in a magnetic tape cassette storage case when the cassette is not in use.
The basic structure of a conventional cassette storage case will briefly be described below. The cassette storage case includes as essential components a cover member having a pocket portion formed at the front end part thereof to receive the opposite raised portions of the cassette in the pocket portion, and a casing member rotatably fitted to the cover member so that it can be opened and closed in a door-like manner. The cover member and the casing member are each integrally molded of a synthetic resin.
When the cassette is received in the cassette storage case, the thick portion of the cassette at the front opening portion is first inserted into the pocket portion, and subsequently the casing member is rotatably closed against the cover member. Once the casing member is closed with the cover member, the whole cassette is received in the cassette storage case so as to enable the cassette to be safely snored in the cassette storage case without the possibility of the magnetic tape being contaminated with dust or similar foreign matter, and to prevent the cassette from being broken if dropped or if an external impact is imposed thereon.
FIG. 13 depicts a conventional cassette 11, which is is wide use at the present time. As is apparent from the drawing, the cassette 11 has generally a rectangular configuration, and includes raised portions 12 extending outward from the respective opposite surfaces of the main body of the cassette 11 to thus cause the cassette 11 to have a portion of increased thickness. The cassette also has a pair of shaft insertion holes 13, each serving to allow a magnetic tape wound about tape hubs to transversely run across an opening portion formed on the front side wall of the main body to receive a magnetic recording/reproducing head therein. In addition, projection-shaped guide portions 14 serving as guides to allow the cassette 11 to be correctly inserted into a tape recorder or the like are formed on the opposite side walls of the main body of the cassette 11.
The raised portions 12 and the guide portions 14 are dimensionally standardized for the purpose of maintaining interchangeability of cassettes. For this reason, the raised portions 12 and the guide portions 14 cannot must always be provided on the main body of the cassette 11. Therefore, the dimensions of the pocket portion formed in the cassette storage case must be determined such that the raised portions 12 and the guide portions 14 can be received in the pocket portion. As a result, the exterior dimensions of the cassette storage case are set to values corresponding to the exterior dimensions of the cassette at the portions of increased thickness, resulting in a cassette storage case unavoidably having significantly larger dimensions than the cassette it houses.
As is well known, a magnetic tape cassette is sometimes used in an automobile or at an outdoors location after being carried to such location by the user. Because of the relatively large size of the conventional cassette storage case, a corresponding large amount of storage space is required in the automobile or the like, and moreover it is often inconvenient for the user to carry such a cassette storage case. Under the circumstances described above, a demand has arisen for providing a magnetic tape cassette storage case of reduced dimensions, specifically, a reduced thickness.